Rockaway Township Public Schools

The Rockaway Township Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in Rockaway Township, in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[3]

Rockaway Township Public Schools
Address
16 School Road
, Morris County, New Jersey, 07842
United States
Coordinates40°56′37″N 74°29′36″W / 40.943649°N 74.493347°W / 40.943649; -74.493347
District information
GradesK-8
SuperintendentRichard R. Corbett
Business administratorMegan Slamb
Schools6
Students and staff
Enrollment2,386 (as of 2022–23)[1]
Faculty248.2 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio9.6:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupI
Websitewww.rocktwp.net
Ind. Per pupil District
spending
Rank
(*)
K-8
average
%± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$19,90775$18,8915.4%
1Budgetary Cost17,1598114,15921.2%
2Classroom Instruction9,883788,65914.1%
6Support Services3,109812,16743.5%
8Administrative Cost1,931771,54724.8%
10Operations & Maintenance2,219821,61237.7%
13Extracurricular Activities113104−89.4%
16Median Teacher Salary63,4875961,136
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-8 districts with more than 750 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=84

As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 2,386 students and 248.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I", the second-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[4]

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend either Morris Hills High School (those living in the White Meadow Lake section and other southern portions of the township) or Morris Knolls High School (the remainder of the township). Morris Hills (located in Rockaway Borough) also serves students from Wharton and some from Rockaway Borough (those mostly north of Route 46); Morris Knolls (located in Denville) serves all students from Denville and portions of Rockaway Borough (those mostly south of Route 46).[5] As of the 2022–23 school year, Morris Hills High School had an enrollment of 1,187 students and 117.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.1:1,[6] while Morris Knolls had an enrollment of 1,447 students and 130.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis) and a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1.[7] The Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering, a magnet high school program that is part of the Morris County Vocational School District is jointly operated on the Morris Hills campus.[8] The two high schools are part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District.[9]

Awards and recognition

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In 2024, Catherine A. Dwyer Elementary School was one of 11 school's statewide that was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education.[10][11]

Schools

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Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[12]) are:[13][14]

Elementary schools
  • Birchwood Elementary School[15] with 279 students in grades K-5
    • Jennifer Macones, principal[16]
  • Catherine A. Dwyer Elementary School[17] with 322 students in grades K-5
    • Michael McGovern, principal[18]
  • Katherine D. Malone Elementary School[19] with 259 students in grades K-5
    • Brian Rawlins, interim principal[20]
  • Dennis B. O'Brien Elementary School[21] with 275 students in grades PreK-5
    • Chris Maragon, principal
  • Stony Brook Elementary School[22] with 391 students in grades K-5
    • Stephen Wisniewski, principal[23]
Middle school
  • Copeland Middle School[24] with 853 students in grades 6-8
    • Dustin Bayer, principal[25]

Administration

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Core members of the district's administration are:[26][27]

  • Richard R. Corbett, superintendent[28]
  • Megan Slamb, business administrator / board secretary[29]

Board of education

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The district's board of education, comprised of seven members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[30][31][32]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d District information for Rockaway Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Rockaway Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 -Identification, Rockaway Township Public Schools, last edited January 2013. Accessed September 27, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Rockaway Township School District. Composition: The Rockaway Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Rockaway Township."
  4. ^ NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 6, 2015.
  5. ^ About Us, Morris Hills Regional District. Accessed September 27, 2024. "Morris Hills High School receives students from Wharton, the southernmost portion of Rockaway Township.... and the White Meadow Lake portion of Rockaway Township; Rockaway Borough north of Route #46 as well as within the area of Rockaway Road, the Trailer Park behind the Boro Plaza (west of the railroad track) south of Route #46. Morris Knolls High School receives students from Denville, all of Rockaway Township with the exception of White Meadow Lake and the area described above in the southern part of Rockaway Township, Rockaway Borough south of Route #46 with the exception of the area of Rockaway Road and the Trailer Park behind the Boro Plaza (west of the railroad track) south of Route #46".
  6. ^ School data for Morris Hills High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  7. ^ School data for Morris Knolls High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  8. ^ Home page, Morris Hills High School. Accessed April 2, 2020. "Morris Hills is home to the Academy of Mathematics, Science and Engineering, a partnership with Morris County School of Technology."
  9. ^ Morris Hills Regional High School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 11, 2015. "Our schools' success is directly attributed to the support we receive from the residents of Denville, Rockaway Borough, Rockaway Township and Wharton - people who care about their children and who value education."
  10. ^ Current Awardees, United States Department of Education. Accessed September 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Kelley, Tina. "11 new National Blue Ribbon Schools named in N.J.", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 23, 2024. Accessed September 24, 2024. "Eleven public and private schools have been chosen as New Jersey's newest National Blue Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Education announced Monday."
  12. ^ School Data for the Rockaway Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  13. ^ School Performance Reports for the Rockaway Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
  14. ^ New Jersey School Directory for the Rockaway Township Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  15. ^ Birchwood Elementary School, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  16. ^ Principal's Message, Birchwood Elementary School. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  17. ^ Catherine A. Dwyer Elementary School, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  18. ^ Principal's Message, Catherine A. Dwyer Elementary School. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  19. ^ Katherine D. Malone Elementary School, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  20. ^ Principal's Message, Katherine D. Malone Elementary School. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  21. ^ Dennis B. O'Brien Elementary School, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  22. ^ Stony Brook Elementary School, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  23. ^ Principal's Message, Stony Brook Elementary School. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  24. ^ Copeland Middle School, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  25. ^ Principal's Message, Copeland Middle School. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  26. ^ District Administration, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  27. ^ New Jersey School Directory for Morris County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  28. ^ Office of the Superintendent, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  29. ^ Business Office, Rockaway Township Public Schools. Accessed September 27, 2024.
  30. ^ New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  31. ^ Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Rockaway Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed March 1, 2020. "The Board is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an educational institution. The Board consists of elected officials and is responsible for the fiscal control of the District. A superintendent is appointed by the Board and is responsible for the administrative control of the District." See "Roster of Officials" on page 20.
  32. ^ About the Board of Education, Rockaway Township School District. Accessed September 27, 2024. "The Rockaway Township Board of Education is comprised of seven members who are elected by citizens in a non-partisan election. The three-year terms, for which Board members receive no compensation, are staggered to ensure continuity of service."
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